Bengaluru Schools Expand Student-Led Climate Action Initiatives

Educational institutions in Bengaluru are increasing student involvement in climate action through a growing network of school-based clubs and experiential programmes. These initiatives focus on resource audits, sustainability education, and practical projects across the city’s schools and colleges.

The Climate Action Clubs initiative has registered participation from more than 725 schools and colleges, with 46 clubs already operating. Each club typically includes one teacher and ten students, who are responsible for assessing resource use and preparing a Climate Action Plan for their school.

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar announced that 650 schools and pre-university colleges had agreed to set up Climate Action Clubs, with 18 clubs already established at the time of his statement. These clubs, in some cases, include one teacher and at least 25 students, reflecting variations in club size across different institutions.

The first Makkala Climate Action Sabhe, a citywide children’s climate meet, brought together representatives from over 85 educational institutions. The event included sessions on water, waste management, urban greening, and energy conservation, and concluded with a debate featuring 20 schools and colleges.

What the numbers show

• Over 725 schools and colleges have registered for Climate Action Clubs in Bengaluru
• The Yuva Hasiru Rakshaka programme reached more than 7,500 students across 34 institutions
• The BASF Kids’ Lab programme engaged over 2,000 children from 27 municipal schools

At the Makkala Climate Action Sabhe, GBA Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao and Special Commissioner Preeti Gehlot announced a plan to expand the number of Climate Action Clubs from 777 to 6,000. The stated aim is to establish a club in every school across Bengaluru.

Students in these clubs focus on four main areas: energy, water, solid waste management, and urban greening. Activities include conducting climate audits of their schools and developing targeted action plans to address sustainability challenges.

A cluster-level Nature Immersion event was held at Sankey Tank, where 55 students from three schools participated in activities related to urban biodiversity. The event included planning for native tree planting, composting, and rainwater harvesting projects.

Individual schools have reported a range of climate-related activities. For example, students at DPS Bangalore North have monitored electricity use, promoted energy-saving practices, installed tap aerators to reduce water consumption, and created recycling projects using old materials. In addition, the Yuva Hasiru Rakshaka programme, delivered in partnership with B.PAC, TE Connectivity India, and the Bengaluru Climate Action Cell, provided over 125 hours of experiential learning on urban sustainability to thousands of students.

Hands-on science education has also formed part of the city’s approach. The BASF Kids’ Lab programme involved more than 2,000 children from municipal schools, focusing on climate-related science activities designed to increase awareness and understanding among younger students.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.